Interview: Jochen Meyer, Vodafone, on hopes and fears in the UPC

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Interview: Jochen Meyer, Vodafone, on hopes and fears in the UPC

The head of IP at Vodafone Germany has spoken about the fear that the UPC will be “imbalanced” between plaintiffs and defendants

Intervieed at Managing IP’s Patent Reform Forum in Munich on September 9, Jochen Meyer said the discussion on forum shopping showed “there are much more options and choices for the plaintiff than the defendant”.

He added: “We expect more activity from NPEs or PAEs or whatever they will be called.”

In the interview, Meyer cited the possibility to get preliminary injunctions as one issues that need to be resolved. “Another thing is the handling of bifurcation cases – whether or not the infringement suit will be stayed until the validity suit has been heard, or make sure they are heard at almost the same time, so we will not see enforceable decisions on infringement whilst the validity of the patent is still in question,” he added.



See all the interviews from Munich on Managing IP’s YouTube channel. Note that all speakers are talking in a personal capacity, and their views are not necessarily those of their employers or clients.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Licensing chief Patrik Hammarén also reveals that the company will rename its IPR business to better reflect its role in defining standards
The acquisition of Pecher & Partners follows the firm’s earlier expansion into litigation to create a ‘one-stop shop’
News of Via Licensing Alliance launching its first semiconductor patent pool and INTA electing a new president were also among the top talking points
Submit your nominations to this year's WIBL Americas Awards by January 23
The 2026 Life Sciences EMEA Awards is now open for entries. We are looking forward to reviewing and celebrating the industry's most impressive achievements and landmarks from the past year.
The tie-up between Perkins Coie and Ashurst may generate some striking numbers, but independent IP firms need not worry yet, according to practitioners
Perkins Coie’s US patent prosecution strength could provide Ashurst with an opportunity to enter an untapped market in Australia, but it may not be easy
Mitesh Patel at Reed Smith outlines why the US Copyright Office and courts have so far dismissed AI authorship and how inventors can protect AI-generated works
Xia Zheng, founder of AFD China, discusses balancing legal work with BD, new approaches to complex challenges, and the dangers of ‘over-optimism’
A dispute involving semiconductor technology and a partner's move from Hoffman Eitle to Hoyng Rokh Monegier were also among the top talking points
Gift this article